When Halyk and Kereluke started seriously making films, “It had already happened; it was already the aftermath. So we never really got to see what it was like when the tax credit was in place and everything,” said Halyk.

Receiving funding from any source would provide “more money than we’ve ever been used to,” said Kereluke.

“Our upbringing has been kind of non-traditional and we’ve kind of learned to fend for ourselves on an online platform. And there’s so many other avenues you can take,” he added, including commercial and advertising work.

University of Regina film students Joel Kereluke, right, and Luke Halyk stand in the school’s film department.BRANDON HARDER /
Regina Leader-Post

Not everyone is so optimistic about the future of filmmaking in Saskatchewan.

The Manitoba government refunds producers up to 65 per cent of labour expenses, or 30 per cent of their total in-province spending. The producer of a $2-million production could get a tax credit of between $1.17-million and $1.69-million.

The Alberta Media Fund provides grants of up to $7.5 million.

Creative Saskatchewan’s investment criteria — granting a maximum of 30 per cent of eligible expenses, with a $600,000 cap per project — makes sense for productions budgeted at $2 million or less.

The film employment tax credit cost the government a net $1.3 million, on average each year, according to a 2012 report commissioned for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. That generated an average annual $44.5 million in economic activity and 851 jobs.

“A lot of my friends are gone from the industry. Whatever direction they went, they’re all working right now,” said Crozier. “They’ve gone to Vancouver, they’ve gone to Toronto, they’ve gone to Winnipeg, Calgary, you name it. It’s busy everywhere.

“Netflix is dumping money into Canada; Hallmark is making movies in Canada left right and centre. It’s so busy, and we could have a piece of that pie. Even if we had a small piece, that’s a lot of money coming into the province,” added Crozier.

“Regardless of your political stripe, film is good business; it brings in money wherever it’s done,” said Crozier. “Don’t look at it ideologically or politically. Just look at the numbers; they don’t lie.”